Another game without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, decided to let some shots loose. He just needed one shot to connect and even trash-talked his close friend LeBron James, who had no reply.

Even with opposing superstars Luka Doncic and Stephen Curry sitting out, the drama and the intensity never fizzled out. During the Warriors’ attacking sequence, Draymond sank a corner three with LeBron a little slow in contesting the shot. Once it went in, Green put the Lakers star on notice, “You better close out to me like I’m Steph Curry”.

LeBron James apparently had no reply, but his expression of a smirk revealed his feelings. The trash talk against the King James was not the sole incident for Draymond Green.

The Lakers were ahead by just 4 points (83-87), with eight minutes left in the fourth. Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt tried to dominate the paint and drove, but was fouled hard from behind by Green. Vando took a shot at the back of his head, but Green didn’t end up receiving a flagrant penalty. Even Richard Jefferson said on the broadcast, “He got him in the noogie. He’s gonna give him a headlock.” Before this, he was also jawing at the injured star Luka Doncic.

The Slovenian was talking to the officials at halftime, and Draymond Green soon interjected. Both shared words for 20 seconds and eventually smiled before separating. Ultimately, Green’s efforts to lead the Warriors were not enough as the Lakers won 105-99 at Crypto.com Arena.

Draymond Green reveals his true feelings about sharing the court with LeBron James

At the peak of their rivalries, there was no love between LeBron and any of the Warriors‘ superstars. Over the years, with age, the appreciation for each other developed, and now James and Green have gotten close over the years, as they are also represented by Klutch Sports Agency.

Recently, Draymond Green expressed his interest in teaming up with James during the trade rumors. “I’ve always wanted to [play with him],” Green said to Melissa Rohlin of The California Post. “Saying I wanted to go to his team, that’s not the case. I’m very comfortable in my situation with 30 [Curry] and what we’ve built and what we have.”

Back in 2024, reports surfaced that the Warriors had reached out to the Lakers ahead of the trade deadline. But those talks to bring James to the Bay Area never progressed. Even now, the possibility of playing together is still open. Next year, LeBron James is a free agent and can sign with any team he wants. The Warriors have acquired former Atlanta Hawks center Porzingis on an expiring $30.7 million contract.

This could happen in the future, but for now, they remain rivals. That’s why Draymond Green had no problem putting the entire Lakers player on notice with his usual antics.